New YE Data Combo Flash Card Reader and Floppy Drive

[Zepper]

The main intent of this post is to point out the presence of this new version of the YE Data combo drive the YD-8V08 being marketed under the Scythe brand. It is supposed to be sold in the vicinity of $30.00 which puts it well below any other common source in the States. It is listed as OOS on the Egg and is hard to find elsewhere. Scythe didn't even bother to change the YE Data model number - YD-8V08...
. Here is the Scythe link:
http://www.scythe-usa.com/prod...018/ye8v08_detail.html

The second is to notify the person who had been in contact with me re. obtaining an 8V07 model to point out that the Scythe is a later model and supports significantly more flash card types. I use only SD cards, so the 8V07 is fine for me. I suppose this will be the only version available here in the retail channel. YE's US office never returned my call.

.bh.

 

[Zepper]

I think it was JEDI who was looking for info on this. And up for more eyes.

.bh.

 

[Blain]

The Mitsumi FA404m 7-1 floppy combo sells for about the same price.
Ebay > $19.99 + $7.99 shipping.

 

[Zepper]

IMO, Mitsumi FDDs are unreliable.

.bh.

 

[lenjack]

i've had opne of the Mitsumi combos go bad..the card reader was OK, but the floppy drive failed.

 

[Zepper]

I just got a reply back from Scythe US - he said the darned thing is discontinued already. And said the few extant are at NCIX and Memory Express (both in Canada)... I'm glad I've got my 8V07.

.bh.

 

[Falthon]

What would you recommend as the best internal combination card reader/floppy drive for Linux? Ideally I'd like to find one that Linux will recognize automatically. Obviously, the more card types it reads, the better, but Linux compatibility is my first concern. I appreciate any suggestions you can make.

 

[Falthon]

I spoke with Scythe, and they said the 8V08 is discontinued, as is the 8V07. I couldn't get in touch with YE-Data to confirm this (I could only find a Japanese phone number, and their web contact form doesn't work), but I'm pretty sure it's correct. I also called XPCGear, which has carried the 8V08 for a long time (http://www.xpcgear.com/8v08wh.html), and they also said it's discontinued. Scythe said it's being replaced by the Kama Reader SMKMRD, which doesn't read floppies, and that they will no longer be carrying a combo drive.
http://www.scythe-usa.com/prod...c/018/SCKMRD-1000.html

A few places (such as XPCGear) still have some of the 8V08, and it looks like J&R has some of the 8V07 left.


I think the Mitsumi FA404 (http://www.mitsumi.com/products/FA404.htm) is also discontinued. I sent an email to confirm this, but it doesn't seem to be available anymore.

Addonics and Atech Flash used to have one, but they say they no longer do. Koutech also used to have one; they don't seem to answer their phone, so I sent them an email. I'm pretty sure they've discontinued their model too, though.

Chillblast lists a combo drive but doesn't give the manufacturer. I emailed them to try to find out the manufacture and model.

http://www.chillblast.com/prod...id=17935&cat=73&page=1

 

[Zepper]

The 8V07 shipped in three versions: Drive 1, Drive 2 and Drive 3. The picture on J&R looks like the Drive 2 version. You can see the cosmetic differences among the three versions on the YE Data site under Support:
http://www.yedata.com/support/cardreaders.shtml

The Scythe version of the 8V08 didn't seem to get very good reviews by purchasers, but they could just be doorknobs - you never know... Tiger Direct was carrying the Mitsumi. I don't see it on the support page above.

I'd also be leery about XPCGear actually having any 8V08 to sell.

Also try eBay under YE Data and Adaptec (sold rebadged 8V07s of several versions for a while). that's where I've found some 8V07s.

Here's the Miusumi at TD:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/app...dpNo=1187054&CatId=287

And here is the new Mitsumi under the Rosewill repack:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820223072

And here is the Kouwell repacked Mitsumi - looks like an older model than the Rosewill:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820223072

 

[Falthon]

That's very informative; thank you. I hadn't realized the YE-Data and Mitsumi models were sold under so many other brand names. I'm hoping I can find one that is still in production. Koutech indicated that the IO-FPM220 has not been discontinued, so I may end up using that one. Unfortunately it requires a floppy connector in addition to a USB port, which rules out some new motherboards such as the Intel DX48BT2. I'm going to check to see if the newer Mitsumi is discontinued and try to find out which drive Chillblast is selling. I'll post what I find out.

 

[Falthon]

It turns out the Chillblast drive doesn't read floppy disks, even though they have it in the Floppy Drive category. The Koutech drive is designed to be plugged into the USB port on the back of the computer, not the internal header. That type of design has always struck me as really strange.

I didn't see a Kouwell floppy/card reader. Did you mean to link to the Koutech IO-FPM220? It looks like you linked to the Rosewill drive twice.

So as far as I can tell, the drives still in production are the Koutech IO-FPM220, the Ultra ULT31793 or ULT31799, the SIIG JU-91RW12-S4 and JU-91RB12-S5, and the Rosewill RCR-FD200.

All of them require a floppy controller, unfortunately. I don't like the USB connector on the Koutech, and the Ultra seems to be a little more expensive and in shorter supply than the others. I'll probably go with the Rosewill, since it lists Linux support. Thanks for your help!